Dragged into the modern age

I pulled the heavy fur cloak tighter around my body and looked at all four of them with complete seriousness.

"Clothes," I said firmly. "All of you need to put on more clothes right now. It's not cold outside anymore. We can't walk around your world like this in mine...people will panic and call the authorities."

Draven stepped back, breathing hard. The others watched me closely.

"We need to get back into the city," I continued. "My city. I want to go home to my house."

Thrain tilted his head, spear still in hand. "House?"

"Yes. A real house with walls and a bed. Follow me. We'll see if we can find my car—if it hasn't been towed. My purse should still be inside it, under the seat where I always keep it. That's where my keys and everything important are."

They stared at me with deep confusion and suspicion. Draven gripped my jaw, tilting my face up to his.

"Why go into this strange world full of metal birds and roaring paths?" he demanded, his voice rough.

"Because I need to find the witch," I said, holding his gaze. "Madame Vesper. She's the only one who can explain why we're here in my time. I don't know how this happened or why you all came through with me. I need answers."

After a long, tense silence filled with their low growls and wary glances, Draven released my jaw with a grunt. "You will lead. But you stay between us at all times. No running. No speaking to anyone unless we allow it." His large hand came down in a firm, warning smack on my ass. "And this dripping cunt stays available to us whenever we want."

They reluctantly dressed in their heaviest furs and leathers, still looking wildly out of place with bare arms, scars, and paint visible. I stayed wrapped tightly in the oversized cloak. Draven kept a possessive hand on the back of my neck the whole way down the ridge. Thrain walked glued to my side. They were clearly dominant on edge, and undoubtedly unhappy about the unknown, but they followed my lead for now.

We reached the gravel parking area near the trailhead. My dusty little sedan was still sitting there exactly where I'd left it—no tow truck, windows intact.

I let out a relieved breath. "I'm glad nobody stole my car this whole time. Thank god for small miracles."

The men crowded around the vehicle like it was a dangerous beast. Draven raised his axe slightly.

Thrain poked the hood with his spear. Kael circled it with an arrow loosely nocked.

"What sorcery is this metal shell?" Draven growled.

"It's called a car. It will take us where we need to go faster. Get in the back seat. Stay low if you see other people."

After more grumbling and tense glares, they squeezed their massive frames into the backseat. I started the engine the sudden roar making all four of them reach for their weapons and drove toward the city, one hand on the wheel while occasionally pushing away wandering hands slipping under my cloak.

I had no idea what had pulled us into my time or why, but Madame Vesper was the key. I needed to find her shop and get answers before these four savage, possessive warriors from the past decided to start conquering the modern world themselves.

The engine hummed as I merged onto the main road, the familiar rush of pavement under the tires a strange comfort after everything that had happened.

In the rearview mirror, four massive, fur-and-leather-clad warriors filled my poor little sedan like it was a clown car built for toddlers. Their broad shoulders were crammed together, knees bent awkwardly, weapons clutched tight. Draven sat directly behind me, one hand still possessively on the back of my neck whenever he could reach.

"Metal beast," Thrain muttered, glaring at the ceiling as it might attack. "It roars but does not breathe. Sorcery."

"It's not sorcery, it's engineering," I said patiently, keeping my eyes on the road. "Cars are normal here. They run on gasoline and... you know what? Never mind. Just don't touch anything sharp or break my car, please."

Kael poked the window button experimentally. The glass slid down with a mechanical whir. He jerked back like it had bitten him, spear clattering against the seat. "The wall moves! It obeys without moving it!"

I sighed, fighting a smile despite the chaos. These men had spent the last few weeks or centuries, depending on "my stories and strange words" fucking me senseless in their primitive world, and now they were losing their minds over power windows.

"Everyone put your seatbelts on," I said firmly, glancing back at them.

Blank stares.

"Seat... belts?" Draven growled, his deep voice rumbling through the car.

I reached over, pulled my own across my chest with a click. "This. It keeps you safe if we stop suddenly.

Click it in like this. Come on, big guys. Humor me."

Thrain tried first. The belt barely stretched across his massive chest. He yanked too hard and the mechanism locked up. "This cursed strap fights me like a living serpent!"

After several minutes of frustrated growling, cursing in their ancient tongue, and me explaining "no, not around your neck," "yes, lower," and "stop trying to cut it with your knife," I finally got all four of them buckled in. They looked deeply offended by the restraint, shifting and testing the straps like wild animals in harnesses.

We passed a gas station. Kael's eyes widened at the glowing signs and the cars lined up at pumps.

"Fireless torches," he muttered. "And metal horses without riders."

"Gas station," I explained. "People buy fuel there. For cars. And snacks. I'll get you guys some beef jerky later if you behave."

Draven's hand slid under my cloak again from behind, thick fingers stroking along my bare thigh. "You will explain everything, little mate. And this dripping cunt remains ours. Do not forget."

I shivered but kept driving. "I know, I know. Possessive much?"

The city skyline appeared in the distance glass towers, billboards, the constant flow of traffic. Horns blared as I changed lanes. All four men reached for weapons instantly.

"What devil screams like that?!" Thrain barked.

"Other drivers. They're impatient. Ignore it."

By the time I pulled into a spot near Madame Vesper's hidden little shop in the arts district, they were a mess of tension and suspicion. A group of college kids walking by openly stared at the four half-naked barbarians crammed into my sedan.

I turned off the engine. "Okay. I'm going in to talk to the witch. You all stay in the car. Do. Not. Leave. People here will freak out if they see you with axes and spears. I'll be quick."

Draven's eyes narrowed dangerously. "We do not hide in metal shells while you walk alone into danger."

"I'm not in danger. It's a metaphysical shop. Crystals and incense. You'll scare the owner and every customer within three blocks."

Thrain crossed his arms, the seatbelt creaking under the strain. "We go with you."

"No. Stay."

Kael was already unbuckling with a savage grin. "You are ours to protect. We follow."

I got out first, pulling the fur cloak tighter around my very naked body underneath. The second my door shut, all four doors opened. They unfolded from the car like a barbarian invasion force, towering, scarred, tattooed, and armed, drawing every eye on the street.

"Guys!" I hissed, cheeks burning. "Back in the car!"

Draven stalked forward, gripping my waist and pulling me against his hard body right there on the sidewalk. His voice was low, rough, and full of promise. "You lead. We guard. And when this witch is done speaking... we find your 'house' with the bed. Then we remind this soft world who you belong to."

Thrain and Kael flanked me immediately. The fourth warrior Rorik scanned the street like it was a battlefield full of invisible threats, arrow still nocked.

I groaned, half exasperated and honestly half turned on by their complete refusal to be managed.

"Fine. But weapons stay lowered. And no growling at civilians. Let's go meet the witch before you four decide to conquer the city block."

Madame Vesper's shop sign glowed softly ahead, and I could already feel the strange magical hum in the air. Whatever answers waited inside, I had a feeling these four possessive savages were about to make the whole situation a lot more complicated... and a lot more filthy.

The bell above the door jingled as we stepped into Madame Vesper's shop. The familiar scent of incense, sage, and old books hit me immediately, but the energy felt... off. Dim purple lighting glowed from crystal lamps, shelves packed with tarot decks, herbs, and strange artifacts.

My four massive warriors crowded in behind me like a wall of muscle and suspicion, their heavy boots thudding against the wooden floor. Thrain's spear scraped the doorframe. Draven's hand stayed firmly on the back of my neck under the cloak.

A woman in her mid-forties with long silver-streaked black hair and flowing emerald robes looked up from behind the counter. She wasn't Madame Vesper.

This witch had sharper eyes and a softer, almost sympathetic smile.

"Welcome to the Veil's Whisper," she said warmly, then blinked several times as she took in the sight of four towering, half-naked barbarian warriors armed to the teeth. "...My, you brought quite the entourage."

"I'm looking for Madame Vesper," I said quickly, stepping forward. "It's urgent. She helped me before and—"

The witch's expression softened with genuine sadness. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetheart. She died last night. Peacefully, in her sleep. I'm her niece, Elowen. I had to take over the shop for her. What can I help you with?"

My stomach dropped. The warriors shifted behind me, growling low at the tension they sensed in my body. Draven's grip tightened.

"Dead?" I whispered. "But... she was the only one who—"

Elowen tilted her head, studying me closely. "You look like you've seen some things. Tell me what's going on."

I glanced back at the men. Kael was poking a glowing quartz lamp with his arrow, muttering about "trapped lightning." Thrain had picked up a bundle of dried sage and was sniffing it like it might be poisoned. Rorik stared at a dreamcatcher like it was an enemy shield.

I turned back to her and took a deep breath.

"Okay. I know this is going to sound completely crazy. Please, please do not call the psych ward or anything. I'm not on drugs, I'm not delusional. A few weeks ago, Madame Vesper gave me a potion. I drank it and... I traveled back in time. Like, actual ancient warrior tribe time. I was there for what felt like forever. Last night, I suddenly woke up back here. In my time. And these four..." I gestured behind me. "They came through with me. I have no idea what's happening. Why the potion pulled them forward, why she's gone now, or how to send them back. Or if I even want to."

Elowen's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't laugh. She simply nodded, like time travel was just another Tuesday in her line of work.

Draven stepped closer, his huge frame looming over my shoulder. "This woman speaks truth. The little one is ours now. Explain the magic, witch, or we will tear answers from this place."

Thrain grunted, still holding the sage. "Your glowing stones and stinking herbs. Is this how your weak world does battle?"

I sighed and gently took the sage from his hand. "Guys. Please. Let me handle this. No tearing anything apart. This is a shop, not a battlefield."

Elowen smiled faintly, unfazed. "Protective, aren't they? Time rifts like that are rare and messy. The potion my aunt made was experimental meant to give visions or past-life glimpses. Sounds like it punched a hole straight through instead. Bringing physical matter... and people... forward is extremely unstable. You're lucky you're not scattered across timelines."

She reached under the counter and pulled out an old leather journal. "I can look through her notes. But it might take time. In the meantime, you should probably get them somewhere safe before they start a riot on the street. Your... companions don't exactly blend in."

Draven's hand slid lower under my cloak, cupping my bare ass possessively right there in the shop. "We go to your house now, mate. Then you explain more of this metal world while we fill you again. This 'car' and 'city' nonsense can wait until after you've been properly claimed in your own bed."

My face heated. The other three warriors rumbled in agreement, crowding closer.

I turned to Elowen, mortified but determined. "Can you help us? Please?"

She nodded. "Come back tomorrow evening. I'll have more answers by then. And try to keep them from conquering the neighborhood in the meantime."

The warriors were already shifting restlessly toward the door, their massive bodies filling the narrow aisles of the shop and knocking over a small display of rune stones with a clatter.

I paused at the counter, turning back to Elowen one last time before we left.

"So... the potion," I said quietly, my voice tight with worry. "Is it possibly void now? Because she died? Like, does her death break the magic or cancel whatever hole it punched through time? I woke up back here with them, but I don't know if this is... permanent. Or if everything's going to unravel."

Elowen glanced at the old leather journal she'd been flipping through, then met my eyes with a careful, sympathetic look.

"It's not that simple, sweetheart. Death doesn't always void a working like that especially one as raw and powerful as the one she made for you. If anything, her passing might have locked the rift in place rather than closing it. The intention was already cast. You brought living, breathing pieces of the past forward with you. That kind of magic has... consequences. We'll know more tomorrow, but for now? Assume it's very much still active."

Draven growled low behind me, his breath hot against my ear. "Good. The bond is not broken. You remain ours."

Kael picked up a small crystal pendulum from a nearby shelf, dangling it curiously before it slipped from his thick fingers and shattered on the floor. He stared at the pieces as they had personally betrayed him.

"More cursed trinkets," he muttered.

I winced. "Sorry about that. We'll... pay for it later."

Elowen just waved it off with a small smile. "Go. Get them somewhere safe before they tear the city apart. And keep that cloak tight you're still very much naked underneath it, aren't you?"

My cheeks burned as Draven gave my ass a firm, warning squeeze under the heavy fur.

We finally stepped back out onto the sidewalk, the four barbarians forming a protective and very conspicuous box around me. The modern world continued on around us cars honking, and people staring openly at the armed fur-clad giants but all I could think about was getting them back to my house before their patience ran out and they decided to start claiming me right there on the street.

Draven leaned down, voice rough and promising. "Your house, little mate. Now."

The sedan hummed along the suburban streets, streetlights flickering across the warriors' tense faces. Draven's hand remained heavy on my shoulder from the back seat, but the mood had shifted. They'd been quiet for a few minutes, clearly chewing on everything that had happened in the shop.

Draven finally broke the silence, his deep voice rough with suspicion.

"In the witch's den," he said slowly, "you asked if the potion is void now that the old one is dead. You asked if the magic is broken... so you could send us back."

Thrain leaned forward between the seats, his eyes locked on me in the rearview mirror. "Why would you want to send us back, little mate? Without you?"

Kael's hand slid possessively up my thigh under the cloak. "We would not want to be anywhere you are not. So explain. What exactly did you mean by sending us back? Do you wish to be rid of us in this soft world of yours?"

Rorik grunted from the passenger seat, arms crossed over his massive chest. "Speak plainly. You asked the new witch how to close the hole. To push us back through time and keep this metal world for yourself?"

I let out a slow breath, cheeks warming under their intense, unblinking stares. The car felt even smaller with all that dominant, barbarian energy focused on me.

"I wasn't trying to get rid of you," I said carefully. "I was scared. I still am, a little. I asked if the potion might be broken because her death could've closed the rift. I didn't know if you four were stuck here against your will, or if everything might fall apart and scatter us. I was trying to understand what was happening... not planning to send you away."

I glanced at them again, voice softening. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere you're not."

The tension in the car eased at once. A low, approving rumble rolled through all four of them.

Draven's hand slid lower under the cloak, cupping my breast firmly and rolling my nipple between his thick fingers.

"Good," he growled, satisfied. "Because there is no 'sending us back' without you. You belong to us. Here or in our time, it does not matter."

Thrain's fingers traced higher along my inner thigh from behind. "We will stay in your strange world of roaring shells and glowing lanterns... as long as you are under us every night."

Kael chuckled darkly. "Though we still do not understand half of what we see. That glowing box on the pole changed from red to green. Is it a signal from your weak gods?"

I smiled despite myself, gently pushing a wandering hand away from the steering wheel as Rorik poked at the hazard lights. "It's a traffic light. It tells us when to stop and go. I'll explain more when we get to the house. Which is right up here."

I pulled into my quiet driveway a few moments later. The moment the engine cut off, the warriors were unbuckling with predatory focus.

Draven opened my door before I could, pulling me out and pinning me against the side of the car for a brief, hungry kiss. "Inside, mate. Drop the cloak. We have much to learn about your world... starting with how loud you can scream in your own bed."

The others closed in around us, weapons still in hand, eyes scanning the neighborhood as it might attack at any second. My heart raced with a mix of nerves and heat. This was going to be one very long, very filthy night of explanations.

The front door clicked shut behind us, and I let out a long breath. My small suburban house felt instantly smaller with four massive barbarian warriors filling the living room. Draven's head nearly brushed the ceiling fan. Thrain poked the couch cushion with his spear like it might be alive. Kael stared suspiciously at the ceiling light, while Rorik ran a hand over the flat-screen TV like it was some kind of dark altar.

"Okay," I said, pulling the heavy fur cloak tighter around my naked body. "First things first. I need to actually shower. A real shower with hot water. Then I'm putting on some normal clothes. You four can... look around, but please don't break anything."

Blank stares. Deep confusion.

"Shower?" Draven growled, stepping closer. His hand immediately went to the back of my neck.

"What is this? In this soft box of a house?"

Thrain frowned. "Hot water? From where? You have no fire. No river."

I sighed, already heading down the hallway toward the bathroom, the four of them trailing me like suspicious guard dogs. "It comes from pipes in the walls. There's a thing called plumbing. You turn a handle and hot water comes out of the showerhead. It's normal here. I've been running around in just a cloak and covered in... well, all of you... for way too long. I need to get clean."

Kael reached out and touched the hallway light switch as we passed. The lights flicked on and off. He jerked his hand back with a low curse. "More trapped lightning. Your house is full of it."

I stopped at the bathroom door and turned to face them. They crowded the narrow hallway, broad shoulders brushing the walls, weapons still clutched tight.

"You can wait out here," I said firmly. "Or in the living room. I won't be long."

Draven's eyes narrowed. He pushed the bathroom door open wider with one massive hand, peering inside at the tiled shower stall. "You will not be alone. We do not trust this strange water magic. What if it burns you? Or drowns you?"

Rorik grunted. "We stay. We watch."

I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. "It's just a shower. Hot water, soap, and me. Alone. Five minutes. Then I'll come out in actual clothes and start explaining everything else like the fridge, the TV, and why there is no fire."

Thrain crossed his arms, the motion making his muscles flex. "Clothes? Why cover yourself? We prefer you bare. Ready."

I stepped into the bathroom and gave them a pointed look, one hand on the door. "Because this is my world, and people wear clothes here. Now behave. No destroying my house while I'm washing up."

Draven caught the door before I could close it fully, his expression dark and hungry. "You have your hot water, little mate. But when you come out... that dripping cunt belongs to us again. And you will explain every glowing, buzzing thing in this house."

I shut the door with a soft click, heart racing, and turned on the shower. The rush of hot water felt like heaven after weeks in their primitive world. I could already hear them out there low growls, confused muttering about the "singing pipes" and the strange hum of the water heater.

This was going to be a very long night of explanations... interrupted by very demanding, very confused warriors who still didn't understand why anyone would want to wear clothes at all.

The hot water felt like pure bliss after everything. I stood under the spray for longer than I probably should have, letting it rinse away the dried remnants of their earlier releases from my thighs and the general grime of traveling between worlds. Steam filled the bathroom as I scrubbed with my favorite soap, the familiar scent bringing me back into my own reality.

When I finally stepped out, I wrapped a soft towel around my body and padded barefoot down the hallway toward the living room, hair still damp and dripping down my back.

The scene that greeted me made me stop dead in the doorway.

Kael was sitting on my couch like it was a throne, massive legs spread wide, completely naked except for the fur loincloth he'd kept on. In his huge hand, he held my bright pink rabbit vibrator the one with the little clit stimulator ears. He was turning it over slowly, thick fingers poking at the buttons. The toy suddenly buzzed to life on its lowest setting with a loud bzzzzzt.

Kael jerked back, eyes wide with a mix of shock and suspicion. "What sorcery is this? It trembles like a living thing but has no heart!"

Thrain leaned over his shoulder, spear resting against the couch. "It is too small to be a proper club. Too soft. Perhaps a torture device for tiny prisoners?"

Draven stood nearby, arms crossed, but his gaze immediately locked onto me in my towel with dark hunger. Rorik was in the kitchen area, opening and closing the fridge door repeatedly, muttering about "cold air from nowhere."

I cleared my throat, cheeks burning. "Uh... that's not a weapon. Or a torture device."

Kael looked up at me, still holding the buzzing vibrator like it might explode. He pressed another button and the speed increased, the little ears fluttering wildly. "Then what is it, mate? It vibrates with trapped lightning. Explain."

I walked closer, trying and failing to keep a straight face. "It's... a pleasure toy. For women. When they're alone. It feels good on... certain parts."

All four warriors went still, staring at me, then at the toy, then back at me.

Draven's voice dropped into a dangerous growl as he stepped forward and tugged my towel open with one finger, letting it fall to the floor. "You use this little buzzing thing on this cunt?"

Kael grinned slowly, wicked understanding dawning. He pressed the vibrator against my bare stomach, letting the buzzing travel across my skin. "Show us, then. How does this soft little weapon please you?"

Thrain was already behind me, hands on my hips, pulling me back against his hard body. "Or better... we will use it on you. While we claim you properly in your own home."

Rorik finally abandoned the fridge and joined them, his eyes dark. "This world has strange gifts. We will learn them all... starting with this."

I shivered as Kael slowly dragged the buzzing toy lower, teasing just above where I was already getting wet again. The four of them closed in around me, towering, possessive, and still very much confused by everything in my house... but extremely eager to explore.

Draven tilted my chin up, voice rough with promise. "Explain more later, little mate. Right now... we want to see how loud this toy makes you scream before we replace it with our cocks."

I opened my mouth when

Knock knock knock.

A sharp knock sounded at the front door.

All four warriors snapped to attention instantly, weapons raised, bodies coiled like they expected an attack.

Draven was beside me in a heartbeat, one hand on my shoulder. "Who dares approach your den?"

"I don't know," I whispered. "Stay back here. Please. Let me answer it."

I clutched the towel tighter around my still-damp, naked body and cracked the front door open just a few inches.

"Hey... it's Mike from next door," the familiar male voice said warmly. "You've been gone for a couple of weeks. Your car's been gone and I never saw any lights on at night. I was getting worried something happened to you. Everything alright?"

The second Mike's clearly male voice carried into the house, the air turned thick with danger.

Draven's hand tightened on my shoulder. Thrain growled low and deep. Kael clicked the vibrator off but kept it gripped tightly in his fist like a club. Rorik moved silently to the side his eyes burning.

"A man," Draven snarled, voice dripping with raw jealousy. "Another male comes sniffing at your door while you stand here fresh from washing, wearing nothing but a scrap of cloth?"

Before I could stop them, Draven pushed the door wider, revealing all four towering, scarred, half-naked barbarians looming behind me like a wall of possessive fury.

Mike's eyes widened in pure shock. "Holy shit—what the hell? Are you okay? Who are these guys?"

Thrain stepped forward, spear lowered but ready. "This soft whelp named Mike looks at her with hunger in his eyes. He wants what is ours."

Kael's voice was dark. "In our world, males who approach a claimed woman uninvited bleed for it."

I quickly shoved myself between them and the doorway, heart pounding. "Mike, I'm fine! Really. These are... friends. From out of town. Just visiting... they like unhh larping. Thank you for checking on me, but everything's good. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Mike backed down the porch steps fast, clearly freaked out. "Yeah... sure. Glad you're alive. I'll... leave you alone." He practically fled back to his own house.

The door barely clicked shut before Draven spun me around and ripped the towel off my body in one savage motion, leaving me completely naked in the middle of the living room. His huge hand immediately pulled me flush against his hard chest warning, me by my throat.

"You let another male come to your door," he growled his voice rough near my ear. "While you're still wet from your shower. While our seed still leaks from you."

Thrain pressed against my back his teeth scraping my neck. "We should mark you so deeply no other male would dare look your way again."

Kael stepped in front holding the pink vibrator in his hand as though he forgot he was even holding it. "Explain again why males in your world think they can approach you."

Rorik looked at me his eyes roaming down my body. "Your neighbor will not make that mistake twice."